As the evil Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, Forest Whitaker gives an unforgettable performance in The Last King of Scotland. Powerfully illustrating the terrible truth that absolute power corrupts absolutely, this fictionalized chronicle of Amin's rise and fall is based on the acclaimed novel by Giles Foden, in which Amin's despotic reign of terror is viewed through the eyes of Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy), a Scottish doctor who arrives in Uganda in the early 1970s to serve as Amin's personal physician. His outsider's perspective causes him to be initially impressed by Amin's calculated rise to power, but as the story progresses--and as Whitaker's award-worthy performance grows increasingly monstrous--The Last King of Scotland turns into a pointed examination of how independent Uganda (a British colony until 1962) became a breeding ground for Amin's genocidal tyranny. As Whitaker plays him, Amin is both seductive and horribly destructive--sometimes in the same breath--and McAvoy effectively conveys the tragic cost of his character's naiveté, which grows increasingly prone to exploitation. As directed by Kevin Macdonald (who made the riveting semi-documentary Into the Void), this potent cautionary tale my prompt some viewers to check out Barbet Schroeder's equally revealing documentary General Idi Amin Dada, an essential source for much of this film's authentic detail. --Jeff Shannon
Running Time 142 Min
Format: DVD MOVIE
Amazon.com
Some movie-loving wizards must have cast a magic spell on Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, because it's another grand slam for the Harry Potter franchise. Demonstrating remarkable versatility after the arthouse success of Y Tu Mamá También, director Alfonso Cuarón proves a perfect choice to guide Harry, Hermione, and Ron into treacherous puberty as the now 13-year-old students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry face a new and daunting challenge: Sirius Black (Gary Oldman) has escaped from Azkaban prison, and for reasons yet unknown (unless, of course, you've read J.K. Rowling's book, considered by many to be the best in the series), he's after Harry in a bid for revenge. This dark and dangerous mystery drives the action while Harry (the fast-growing Daniel Radcliffe) and his third-year Hogwarts classmates discover the flying hippogriff Buckbeak (a marvelous CGI creature), the benevolent but enigmatic Professor Lupin (David Thewlis), horrifying black-robed Dementors, sneaky Peter Pettigrew (Timothy Spall), and the wonderful advantage of having a Time-Turner just when you need one. The familiar Hogwarts staff returns in fine form (including the delightful Michael Gambon, replacing the late Richard Harris as Dumbledore, and Emma Thompson as the goggle-eyed Sybil Trelawney), and even Julie Christie joins this prestigious production for a brief but welcome cameo. Technically dazzling, fast-paced, and chock-full of Rowling's boundless imagination (loyally adapted by ace screenwriter Steve Kloves), The Prisoner of Azkaban is a Potter-movie classic. --Jeff Shannon
Customer Reviews:
Alfonso Cuaron's genius works with Harry Potter.......2007-09-06
I enjoyed the first two Harry Potter movies that Chris Columbus directed, but this movie blew those two out of the water completely. Director Alfonso Cuaron transformed the entire series with this movie, making it darker, more artistic, and overall a better movie-watching experience than the other Potter films. A lot of fans are annoyed because of all the differences between the movie and the book, but I think the changes were done in a manner that truly makes Prisoner of Azkaban the best film out of the 5 we've seen so far.
All packaging correct, but wrong movie.......2007-09-05
I purchased the first 4 Harry Potter movies, of which this was one. My review would be positive with one huge exception. The movie that actually appeared when I pressed was The Polar Express. The product arrived quickly. The packaging was in excellent condition. And for my part, my payment was prompt. It's just too bad that quality control missed this one.
As Awesome as Ever.......2007-08-28
This is a replacement DVD for one that was lost several years ago. I had forgotten how good this movie is. Definitely a classis to have in the DVD library.
Great !.......2007-08-27
This 3rd movie is a great addition to the collection ! I wasn't a huge fan but made me consider buying the other released movies soon !
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly..........2007-08-26
My favorite BOOK of the series and my LEAST favorite movie of the series so far. I know movies can't always follow the books they're based on EXACTLY-- however, this movie left out some pretty important stuff. Not only that, but things were added to the movie that were not in the book. So here's the good, the bad and the ugly about "Prisoner of Azkaban"...
First-- the good: It's not a bad movie. The acting's good overall. There's a lot of action and a good storyline with a couple of twists and turns toward the end. The scenery is beautiful and you see a lot more of the grounds surrounding Hogwarts than in previous movies...and there's a beautiful scene of Harry's ride on the hippogriff. If you've not read the books but you've seen movies 1 and 2 (or at least know the Harry Potter basics), I think you'll enjoy yourself even if you don't know what the heck is going on all the time. (It IS the third of a series so you DO need to know something of the first two to really know what's going on.)
Now-- the bad: If you really liked the first 2 movies, there are some major changes in this one that are hard to get used to. First, many of the sets are completely different. Now Hagrid's hut is far away from the castle across a long bridge and down a steep hill... and the Whomping Willow (that nearly destroyed the Weasleys' car in movie 2) is out in the forest-- not near the school. (These sets are also used in movies 4 and 5.) Also, many of the faces of other students you're used to seeing in the background (like Susan Bones, Lee Jordan, Oliver Wood) have been replaced by new unfamiliar actors-- some with speaking parts but you can't identify them with characters in the book. (Neville, Dean, and Sean are there, but there's a strange unidentified boy running around with Draco.) Then there's Dumbledore... When Mr. Harris died, they understandably had to find a relacement. But Mr. Gambon plays a much different Dumbledore than Mr. Harris did. He's not bad-- just different. He looks different, dresses differently, moves around quicker and just doesn't have that powerful calm presence that is associated with the character and which Mr. Harris achieved so well. Also, it's a little weird that Professor Flitwick, who was portrayed in the last movies as an old grey haired wizard, is now much younger with short black hair and a moustache! Some people enjoyed the "new look" of the movie... others (including myself) didn't.
Okay-- now for the ugly: For those who've read and enjoyed Book 3, I think you'll be anywhere from 'somewhat' to 'severely' disappointed. There are (of course) a lot of nitpicky things I could mention (like Lupin's moustache, or dementors flying instead of floating above the ground, etc.), but there are some major problems. First, there are things that are not in the book but came right out of the director's head:
1. Talking shrunken heads (with Jamaican accents for some reason) that seem to be everywhere.
2. Tom, who tends the Leaky Cauldron and is described as stooped and toothless in the book, is now bald with a hump and a limp and acts like some freakish Igor in an old Frankenstein movie.
3. Then there's the infamous first seconds of the movie where Harry is using his wand to practice magic at the Dursley's-- which I don't have to tell anyone who's familiar with the books OR the previous movies is a BIG no-no! Considering the penalty Harry receives in Book 5 for using his wand outside of school... well, let's just say that a little research would have gone a long way.
4. Then there's the "Fat Lady"... It isn't the film time that was wasted having the Fat Lady refuse the students entrance to the Gryffindor common room until she could break a wine glass with her voice that's the problem... it's the fact that the SECRET entrance to Gryffindor Tower is (according to Cuaron) right off the main staircase where everyone can see it!!
5. And even though the hippogriff in the movie is as it's described in the book, the other important magical beast towards the end of the movie is absolutely NOTHING like JKR described him (and it would have been a lot scarier if he he had been)!
And now it gets REAL ugly: Without giving away the ending or twists in the story-- key important bits of information that are revealed in Book 3 are left out! For instance, the Marauder's Map is given to Harry, but its origin and inventors are never mentioned. Sirius Black escapes from Azkaban, but how he was able to do it is never revealed. No mention is made of what James Potter (Harry's dad) and his friends were doing while at Hogwarts or why. The reason for the Shrieking Shack and the Whomping Willow is never explained. Why Harry's patronus manifests as a stag is also never explained (even though it does appear as such in the movie). Such information would have given this movie more depth and is one of the reasons the book is so popular. It gave a peek into the life of Harry's dad and broadened Harry's world a little. Without James Potter and his friends doing what they did all those years ago, all the events in Book 3 never would have happened and Harry's third year at Hogwarts would have been as boring as my 8th grade year in Junior High. Why none of this was included is beyond me. Had it been, it would have been a much better movie.
**My recommendations: If you want depth and explanation and a good background story that ties everything together... get the book and read it. If you just want a good action/adventure movie that you can watch with the kids and not be completely bored out of your mind... get the DVD.
**Parental note: This movie is rated PG for violence (monsters and ghouly dementors and such) and may be a bit too scary for the little ones.
Average customer rating:
- "Sometimes in April is the book-Hotel Rwanda is a chapter"
- Excellent, bone-chilling movie.
- Powerful and moving film
- Never again?
- Beats the pants of Hotel Rwanda
|
Sometimes in April
Starring:
Idris Elba ,
Carole Karemera ,
Pamela Nomvete ,
Oris Erhuero , and
Fraser James
Director:
Raoul Peck
Manufacturer: HBO Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD
 General
| Drama
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Political Drama
| By Theme
| Drama
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
True Story
| By Theme
| Drama
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Brothers & Sisters
| Family Life
| Drama
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
All HBO Titles
| HBO
| Television
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
HBO Films
| More HBO Titles
| HBO
| Television
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Benedict, Jay
| ( B )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Emmerich, Noah
| ( E )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Winger, Debra
| ( W )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
DVDs as Low as $7.49
| The Big DVD Sale
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
DVDs Under $7.49
| Today's Deals in DVD
| Special Features
| DVD
| Video
( S )
| Titles
| Features
| DVD
| Video
Similar Items:
-
Frontline: Ghosts of Rwanda
-
Hotel Rwanda
-
Lumumba (Special Edition)
-
POV: Lost Boys of Sudan
-
Darfur Diaries: Message From Home
ASIN: B0007R4SYU
Release Date: 2005-05-10 |
Amazon.com
A clear-eyed look at the Rwandan genocide is offered in Sometimes in April, a frank take on the 1994 slaughter that claimed upwards of 800,000 lives. Some overlap with Hotel Rwanda is inevitable, and this HBO feature does have similarities, but without the strong suspenseful storyline of Hotel. Its protagonist (the strong Idris Elba, from The Wire) pieces together the past tragedy from the perspective of a decade-later war-crimes tribunal, where his brother is on trial. It's hard to know which is less bearable--the depiction of atrocities, such as mass murder at a girls school, or the second-guessing of the international community, which largely stood by while the horror was unfolding. (Like Hotel Rwanda, this film zeroes in on the U.S. government's distinction that "acts of genocide" occurred in Rwanda rather than "genocide," a Joseph Heller-like absurdity.) The plain style of director Raoul Peck, shooting on location in Rwanda, works for the subject; his film Lumumba was also a direct, blunt account of a tragedy in Africa. The approach doesn't work as well in the U.S. scenes, which feature Debra Winger as a concerned official; these just look clumsy. But the subject itself remains worthy of close attention. --Robert Horton
Customer Reviews:
"Sometimes in April is the book-Hotel Rwanda is a chapter" .......2007-08-27
A couple of years ago, Paul Rusesbagnia (sp?), the gentleman whose story
inspired "Hotel Rwanda" spoke at a local college. Afterwards at the reception, I asked him what he thought of this film in comparison to his biopic "Hotel Rwanada" and he replied in his usual eloquent fashion, "Sometimes in April is the book-Hotel Rwanda is a Chapter."
Anyone who has seen both films to compare will agree.
Essentially, this is a slightly fictionalized tale of two brothers during the Rwanda massacre that began in April 1994 (thus the title). The evil brother agitates tribal genocide over the radio and the good brother risks his life to shelter victims of the madness that follows. In comparison to Hotel Rwanda (and not taking anything away from that film), this does a better job of explaining the backstory of what led to the Rwanada massacre for those who aren't familiar.
In either case, this is a fine (albeit occasionally heart-wrenching-as it should be) story of the dangers of listening to demagogues and man's inhumanity to man. The scene with the little girls pleading for their lives in the church will truly change your life, as well as this movie itself. Watch this film and heed it's warning.
Excellent, bone-chilling movie........2007-08-25
This true "reality" movie is a vivid portrayal of a devestating time in a former peaceful,beautiful land and people. It should remind us that genocide can happen to any group anywhere. If we are not watchful, history will once again be repeated while good people look the other way.
Powerful and moving film.......2007-08-23
Having spent a month in Rwanda this past year, and having a decent background on the genocide, I thought that the film did an excellent job of capturing Rwanda (in terms of appropriately using Kinyarwanda language) and in capturing the horrors of the genocide without dwelling too much on the blood and gore. The scenes that jumped from the past to the present were a nice way to release the tension of the killings while still continuing the storyline. I have been told by friends in Rwanda that Sometimes in April is a more accurate account of the genocide than Hotel Rwanda, but both are worth watching.
Never again?.......2007-08-15
Butchers everywhere (and yet a part of the human spirit is redeemed). A memorable film about, yet again, another late 20th-century genocide.
Beats the pants of Hotel Rwanda.......2007-06-16
Hotel Rwanda leaves you feeling upbeat, like "Thank god, someone did something." This movie makes you feel like shit. You end up disgusted with humanity. It is realistic, and there is no bright spot at the end of the tunnel.
Amazon.com
As the evil Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, Forest Whitaker gives an unforgettable performance in The Last King of Scotland. Powerfully illustrating the terrible truth that absolute power corrupts absolutely, this fictionalized chronicle of Amin's rise and fall is based on the acclaimed novel by Giles Foden, in which Amin's despotic reign of terror is viewed through the eyes of Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy), a Scottish doctor who arrives in Uganda in the early 1970s to serve as Amin's personal physician. His outsider's perspective causes him to be initially impressed by Amin's calculated rise to power, but as the story progresses--and as Whitaker's award-worthy performance grows increasingly monstrous--The Last King of Scotland turns into a pointed examination of how independent Uganda (a British colony until 1962) became a breeding ground for Amin's genocidal tyranny. As Whitaker plays him, Amin is both seductive and horribly destructive--sometimes in the same breath--and McAvoy effectively conveys the tragic cost of his character's naiveté, which grows increasingly prone to exploitation. As directed by Kevin Macdonald (who made the riveting semi-documentary Into the Void), this potent cautionary tale my prompt some viewers to check out Barbet Schroeder's equally revealing documentary General Idi Amin Dada, an essential source for much of this film's authentic detail. --Jeff Shannon
Beyond The Last King of Scotland
More from Forest Whitaker |
General Idi Amin Dada |
The Last King of Scotland (Paperback) |
Stills from The Last King of Scotland
Description
As Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, Forest Whitaker gives "one of the greatest performances of modern movie history" (Wall Street Journal), one that the Associated Press calls "nothing short of Oscar(r) worthy." This is Amin's incredible story as seen through the eyes of Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy), a young Scotsman who becomes the volatile leader's personal physician, due in part to Amin's unexpected passion for Scottish culture -- Amin even proclaims himself "The Last King of Scotland". Seduced by Amin's charisma and blinded by decadence, Garrigan's dream life becomes a waking nightmare of betrayal and madness from which there is no escape. Inspired by real people and events, this gripping, suspenseful stunner is filled with performances you will never forget.
Customer Reviews:
Idi Amin.......2007-08-27
I thought this was a pretty good movie. I like the concept of seeing Amin's regime thru the eyes of an outsider. I have seen a very good documentary and also a very old OOP movie about Amin that were also very good. I thought Forrest Whitaker was ok as Amin but I don't give him the rave reviews that some others have. This is a good movie though no doubt and I recommend it to anybody though it is a bit gruesome and has some pretty extreme violence.
Idi Amin.......2007-08-25
Forest Whitaker as Idi Amin was amazing. Amin slaughtered thousands in Uganda before being over thrown. He went to Saudi Arabia into exile and died several years ago. This story takes you inside his world.
Corey Cotta, Author of All of Yesterdays Tomorrows.
Great Movie.......2007-08-20
This movie was so phenom! Didn't know what to expect and then found it so charming and told a great story. Made the main character so real. The hardest part to watch was the end which was really hardcore violence.
But overall it was a great movie.
a bonus star for Whitaker.......2007-08-18
This film probably would have otherwise gotten a 3 stars from me, but all due respect goes to Forest Whitaker for an amazing performance, so he alone bumps this up to 4 stars for me.
I saw this movie expecting that I would be at least a little let down, since I had read the Foden novel and wasn't entirely impressed by the book. In the novel, I found Dr. Garrigan a little too plodding, though I did appreciate the aspect the bookwas working on of a man who is trying to avoid controversy nevertheless wooed into the thick of controversy through both his neutrality and through the powerful personality and charm of Idi Amin.
But the movie took a completely unfortunate tack. Instead of being mildly weathered and maybe a little pessimistic about the world, Doctor Garrigan is instead young and naive and ambitious and idealistic, and these are what Amin uses to bring Garrigan into his fold. While the book did drag a bit for its resistance to melodrama (except, maybe, towards the end), the movie makes the doctor quite the young piece of bravado by having him shooting cattle in the head and sleeping with the President's wife. I found this stupidity (no other word for it) just plain over the top, which is tough to say when dealing with the story of Idi Amin's tyranny, but nonetheless the case.
It is unfortunate because it seems that some movie execs got together and decided that Foden's Garrigan would not be an interesting leading man for the movie, so he went into rewrite. The shame with this decision is that it is a total revision of the book to its very essence--rather than Amin being a threat for his ability to exploit anything but rabid dissention, Garrigan is instead a bumbling Scot who seems to lack too much common sense to avoid Amin at all. Most of the threat is removed, and so Amin is down to being a mad killer rather than a charismatic mad killer. Also, the removal of some wonderful Amin monlogues from the book, where he meanders wonderfully and shows the depth of his delusions, were a gaping hole here.
Whitaker clearly deserved all accolades he received for his performance, but the movie as a whole left me rather wanting.
A dramatic and engaging film.......2007-08-18
A young Scottish doctor longs for adventure so he spins a globe and decides he'll close his eyes and point to the place where he will go. His finger falls upon Uganda and his fate is sealed. At first he works at a clinic, but then his path crosses that of dictator Idi Amin and his life becomes inexorably intertwined with that of the Ugandan ruler as he becomes his personal physician. The movie is dramatic and fast-moving and the performance of Forest Whitaker as Amin is truly memorable. Fiction though it may be, the film is very entertaining and it does give the viewer a look at the havoc that one man can cause when given absolute power.
Average customer rating:
- entertaining and inspirational
- REVIEW OF SHACKLETON DVD
- What a Man!
- It's the real deal!
- Shackleton
|
Shackleton - The Greatest Survival Story of All Time (3-Disc Collector's Edition)
Starring:
Kenneth Branagh ,
John Grillo ,
Paul Humpoletz ,
Phoebe Nicholls , and
Eve Best
Director:
Charles Sturridge
Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD
General
| Drama
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
All A&E Titles
| A&E Home Video
| Television
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Miniseries
| Television
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Branagh, Kenneth
| ( B )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Cranitch, Lorcan
| ( C )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Culkin, Michael
| ( C )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Davidtz, Embeth
| ( D )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Donachie, Ron
| ( D )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
McGann, Mark
| ( M )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Nicholls, Phoebe
| ( N )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Redgrave, Corin
| ( R )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Spriggs, Elizabeth
| ( S )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Tandy, Mark
| ( T )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Sturridge, Charles
| ( S )
| Directors
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Drama
| Boxed Sets
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
DVDs Under $9.99
| Today's Deals in DVD
| Special Features
| DVD
| Video
( S )
| Titles
| Features
| DVD
| Video
Similar Items:
-
The Endurance - Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition
-
Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure (Large Format)
-
The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition
-
Shackleton's Way: Leadership Lessons from the Great Antarctic Explorer
-
The Last Place on Earth
ASIN: B000063TON
Release Date: 2002-04-09 |
Product Description
Men wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages. Bitter cold. Long months of complete darkness. Constant danger. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in case of success. -Ernest ShackletonThe 27 men who joined his expedition found that Ernest Shackleton was true to his word. They had drifted with the pack ice of the Weddell Sea for ten months, their ship-- the Endurance-- had sunk, and they were castaways in one of the most hostile environments on earth, hundreds of miles from land. And so, with his dream of becoming the first man to cross Antarctica long abandoned, Shackleton set his mind to a far greater challenge: bringing his crew safely home.Based on the detailed diaries and first-person accounts of expedition members, SHACKLETON tells the true story of their extraordinary ordeal, and the death-defying, 800-mile journey in an open boat across the world's worst seas that made their rescue possible. Written and directed by Charles Sturridge (Longitude, Brideshead Revisited), SHACKLETON stars Kenneth Branagh (Henry V, Hamlet) as the legendary explorer.
Format: DVD MOVIE
Amazon.com
Shackleton is not a biopic of the great Anglo-Irish explorer but a dramatization of the failed trans-Antarctic expedition of 1914-1916. As written and directed by Charles Sturridge (Longitude), the production, filmed on real ice floes in Greenland, stays remarkably close to the facts, capturing the look of the surviving expedition photos by Frank Hurley (collected in the book South with Endurance) with great fidelity. Kenneth Branagh makes no attempt at an authentic accent but otherwise gives a powerful impression of a most commanding personality. When the expedition ship Endurance became locked in the Antarctic ice, Shackleton vowed to bring every man home alive, and against virtually impossible odds, including a 700-mile journey in an open boat through some of the worst seas in the world, he did just that. This superlative miniseries realizes the story with production values and cinematography that would not disgrace a big-budget feature (South, Hurley's 1919 silent movie featuring some motion-picture footage from the expedition, is also available on video). Intense physical drama, strong performances, and Adrian Johnston's fine score combine here to deeply moving effect, marred only a little by a rushed conclusion. With Roland Huntford, author of the definitive Shackleton biography, as production advisor, this easily stands as the benchmark for all future comparable films. --Gary S. Dalkin
Customer Reviews:
entertaining and inspirational.......2007-08-12
Great story of men faced with near-certain death, thinking their situation through, and acting selflessly.
REVIEW OF SHACKLETON DVD.......2007-08-12
A very good film on Servant leadership, especially by the main actor as Shackleton. I remember he starred in Henry V and impressive when making speeches of inspiration.
The only setback is the limit on the regions for playing the DVD on the computer notebook which allows you only one chance to play on the DVD drive. However, it can be played on certain DVD players if you get the right one. Perhaps, something can be done to permit the playing of the video for other regions.
What a Man!.......2007-05-14
Great story of Antartic explorers.....lots of history of Antartica. If you are planning a trip there, or just wonder how tough people can be, this is the book for you.
It's the real deal!.......2007-05-09
This movie is so authentic that this is as close as one can get to actually being there with Shackleton and his crew!! The attention to detail, down to the exact diary notations, as well as the actors selected to play the roles,(they look remarkedly like the actual people!), and Branagh transforming himself into Shackleton,.. well this is a must have for any 'Shackeys' out there!! When Shackleton left for this expedition, his finances were in ruin, his affair with his mistress had been exposed to his wife, he was having episodes of angina, which he covered up as 'sciatica,' and he was dealing with his brother just getting out of prison. Given all these stressors, it is amazing that he rose to the challenge that he did, and makes the story all the more amazing!! Pay careful attention to the scene in the ship where the men are listening to the gramaphone..the recording is actually Shackleton's own voice from his Nimrod expedition!!
Shackleton.......2007-04-26
I have been fascinated with this story since I was in the third grade, which is nearly fifty years ago now. This is an excellent depiction of the situation and Shackelton's men, but of course the hardest job falls to Kenneth Brannagh to evoke Shackleton's remarkable personality. While he does a good job in most respects, we mostly see a grim Sir Ernest for almost the entire movie, not glimpsing his renowned good humor and optimism until nearly the end. It was this singular characteristic which so captivated and energized those who followed him through thick & thin. What we see here is mostly a commanding leader, which Shackleton certainly was, but on screen here we do not see the qualities which seem to have set him apart from most other leaders.
If you read the accounts of those who were with him (Frank Worsley, the Captain, for instance wrote several books about this journey) you get a much, much different picture of the man than is portrayed here.
Perhaps it is not possible to portray such a thing, as the intangible elements Shackleton possessed are not so easily shown on film.
But it is a very worthwhile film in all respects, incredible hard work so obviously going into it by all concerned.
This is an especially good film to watch if you have read some good books about what happened with these men.
Description
Harvard professors Richard Alpert and Timothy Leary made countercultural history in 1963 when they were fired from that institution for conducting controversial psychedelic drug research. In the purple haze aftermath, Alpert journeyed to India and found his guru Maharaj ji, who renamed him Ram Dass ("Servant of God"). Best known for his 1971 bestseller BE HERE NOW, which was a spiritual touchstone of the era, Ram Dass became an inspiration to people across the globe. Filmmaker Mickey Lemle--who has known his subject for more than twenty-five years--intersperses vivid archival footage from hippiedom's glory days with intimate glimpses of Ram Dass today, as he continues to remake his life since being--in his words--"stroked" in 1997. Named by NEWSWEEK as one of the Top Five Non-Fiction Films of 2002, RAM DASS FIERCE GRACE is an engrossing, poignant meditation on spirituality, consciousness, healing and the unexpected grace of aging.
Customer Reviews:
BRILLIANT!.......2007-04-12
This is one of the most moving and meaningful documentaries I have ever seen. Mickey Lemle has done a magnificent job of blending all of the significent aspects of Ram Dass' life together into a beautiful tapestry that is at once touching, profound, insightful, hilarious, and heartbreaking. Ram Dass' characteristic willingness to be totally vulnerable, open, and honest, to explore the spiritual challenges inherent in the after-effects of his life-changing stroke, and to continue to share his own magical blend of extraordinarily wise, compassionate spiritual truths is refreshing, delightful, and heart-warming. BRAVO! Thank you for creating this precious gem!
Ram Dass Fierce Grace.......2007-04-10
Very inspirational with highs and lows. Great for any person who has had a stroke. I totally enjoyed it. Recommended
A Place of Grace.......2007-01-23
I don't know if it was just me or what, but when I was fifteen, I thought I was somehow going to be the one that magically escaped "old age". But then I got to be in my twenties and I still clung to a shred of hope that maybe I could still escape it. After my thirties I knew I was going to be no different than all the others that preceeded me, age was inevitable, but getting old was entirely up to me.
In this exceptional movie, Ram Dass shows us that even though the body may betray us, the Spirit that is within is always willing to make all things new. He is a "true" Spiritual teacher. He lives what he talks about. I was always kind of suspect of those "teachers" who claimed to be so exalted and beyond this world. What makes a "true" spiritual teacher is someone who shows us the we are in the world, but we are not of it...that our limitations are not here to thwart us, but are given to us so that we may get the opportunity to prove that our soul/our spirit is infinitely stronger than any situation we may be going through.
I have to admit, I've done my fair share of pouting the last few years. My body has had its share of trials and tribulations to overcome and after seeing Fierce Grace, I was actually embarrassed about my physical complaining. Ram Dass has faced his physical limitations with an even greater willingness to "serve God". He truly is the embodiment of Love, Compassion, and Service.
We can all learn from this beautiful movie. Do we curse the things that we are given or do we realize that even the so called difficulties that are in our lives are blessings? We really don't know what is for our Highest Good, but there is something that does and it is that something greater that we need to continually surrender to moment by moment by precious moment.
Every moment of our lives has gotten us to right here and right now and where we will eventually end up will be determined by what we predominantly used our time for. Did we use our time helping others or by seeing what we could get from others? Did we use our time for celebrating or for mourning our losses? Did we realize the amount of grace that is available in each and every moment or did we argue that life isn't fair? We may not be able to escape age, but we can use it to our greatest advantage.
This movie is a blessing. You will feel blessed just by watching it.
Peace to all...
Stroke of genius.......2007-01-22
This documentary-biography is presentations by Ram Dass helping us cope with aging and bringing us his experience with a stroke.
The presentations not well focused; however it is much better than many of the sound bite presentations produced now days. There is no way to come from ground zero and bring you to today's view in the few minutes of this presentation. In many ways this viewing this can be quite emotional.
This also helps fill in his life from childhood as Richard Albert and the many people he came across that changed his views through out life. We also get introduced to his books as "Be Here Now" and "Still Here: Embracing Aging, Changing, and Dying".
The DVD I viewed has many scenes tat did not make it into the original film. Do not over look the extras.
Outstanding.......2007-01-19
This DVD transports the viewer to a sacred space where the events in life make sense from a higher perspective. Ram Das still has the great gift to move people to their higher purpose in life. This is a DVD which I will watch whenever I need to be reminded of this higher perspective. Not only does this include a biography of Ram Das' life including his present struggles with aging after his stroke, but it also includes three incredible people who share about their tragedies and how they use their experiences to attain a higher perspective.
Average customer rating:
- Come to Butthead.
- What is that? Must be them dang buzzardhawks
- Really did we miss baywatch? huh huh huh
- Very well done
- It's Beavis & Butthead... COME ON!
|
Beavis and Butt-Head Do America (10th Anniversary Special Collector's Edition)
Starring:
Pamela Blair ,
Francis Dumaurier ,
Tim Guinee ,
Cloris Leachman , and
Harsh Nayyar
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD
General
| Comedy
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Beavis & Butt-Head
| B
| TV Series, A-Z
| TV Series
| Television
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
General
| Television
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Bogosian, Eric
| ( B )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Doman, John
| ( D )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Guinee, Tim
| ( G )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Kinnear, Greg
| ( K )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Leachman, Cloris
| ( L )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Moore, Demi
| ( M )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Nayyar, Harsh
| ( N )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Stack, Robert
| ( S )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Willis, Bruce
| ( W )
| Actors & Actresses
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
All Paramount
| Paramount Home Entertainment
| Studio Specials
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
Comedy
| Paramount Home Entertainment
| Studio Specials
| Stores
| DVD
| Video
DVDs Under $7.49
| Today's Deals in DVD
| Special Features
| DVD
| Video
( B )
| Titles
| Features
| DVD
| Video
Special Editions
| Fully Loaded DVDs
| Features
| DVD
| Video
Similar Items:
-
Beavis and Butt-head - The Mike Judge Collection, Vol. 1
-
Beavis and Butt-head - The Mike Judge Collection, Vol. 3
-
Beavis and Butt-head - The Mike Judge Collection, Vol .2
-
South Park - Bigger, Longer & Uncut
-
The Best of Beavis and Butt-head: Butt-O-Ween, Beavis and Butt-Head Do Christmas
ASIN: B000GBEWGQ
Release Date: 2006-09-12 |
Amazon.com
Mike Judge, the creator and voice of MTV's insouciant Beavis and Butt-head characters, made his feature film directorial debut with this full-length B&B misadventure, which finds the boys going on a cross-country adventure after their all-important television set is stolen. Fans of the now-defunct TV show will obviously enjoy this film the most, though almost anyone with a passing awareness of the characters will find something to chuckle about. (The funniest recurring gag finds beleaguered B&B neighbor Tom Anderson constantly sabotaged by the guys while on vacation.) Celebrity voices are fun to pick out, particularly that of David Letterman, who rather appropriately plays Butt-head's long-lost father. --Tom Keogh
Description
Our intrepid adolescent heroes wake up to find their beloved television stolen, and embark on an epic journey across America to recover it, and, who knows, maybe even score. On the way they encounter a murderous smuggler of a deadly virus and his treacherous wife, an FBI agent with a predilection for cavity searches, a couple of rather familiar looking ex-Motley Crue roadies, Mr. Van Dreesen singing "Lesbian Seagull", a little old lady and of course Mr. Anderson and his trailer. Can the Great Cornholio save the day? Uh-huh. Huh-huh.
Customer Reviews:
Come to Butthead........2007-07-17
I'll write a short review, Beavis and Butthead do America is the hilarious film based on the popular MTV series (back when MTV were good now there total sh**) and it was created by Mike Judge. The show was brilliant even though I haven't seen it in a while, I did see a couple of re-runs on VH-1 and its still as funny as I remembered. When the boys find out that their TV set has been stolen they decide to hit the road to find it, they get embroiled in a weapons smuggling scheme and chased by the police and ATF somewhere along the way they hope to score with some chicks and end up in Vegas where they heard that its got alot of slots. Some of the jokes do get a bit repetitive and annoying but overall the film was hilarious and the animation was very good especially the scene in the desert where they both start tripping this segment was done by Rob Zombie, you should definitely check this out especially if you like the TV show.
What is that? Must be them dang buzzardhawks.......2007-07-13
That title was from the always hilarious Anderson. What can you say about Beavis and Butthead that hasn't been said already? When you pop in Beavis and Butthead you just know what to expect. You will get to see some of the funniest brainless humor ever created, which is why I love it so much. They are some of the most simple yet most memorable cartoon characters ever created. Whenever I need a good laugh I don't need to think about, Beavis and Butthead is always the obvious choice.
Really did we miss baywatch? huh huh huh.......2007-05-09
The 2 moronic characters are on a mission to search for their beloved tv which was stolen after they woke up. They travel the country for their mission to score with this drunk dudes wife and get $10 grand to buy a big screen tv with 2 remotes because they say it's gonna rule! And beavis is hoping to do some [...] in los vegas. This is the most funniest movie I wish they came back on tv I also miss beavises best catchy line FIRE! FIRE! FIRE! FIRE! which has beavises insane pyromania feeling in this movie and cornholio. Too bad mike judge had to remove beavises pyromanian line because of those retarded parents pinning it out on this show for the loss of their daughter which they didn't even watch their kids and I say it was their fault not this show or the kids but the parents fault. Any way for real good humor I recommend this movie for you. beavis and [...] head rule and mtv sucks! I give it a 5/5 stars.
Very well done.......2007-03-14
I love to laugh and if you're a goofball like me you should own this. When I want to forget about what stresses me I put it on and get involved in this crime/drama/comedy.
If you like B&B you'll love this.
It's Beavis & Butthead... COME ON!.......2007-01-12
If you're looking at Beavis & Butthead Do America.. then you already know who they are... and you need to own this! No If's And's Or But's!
Amazon.com
Some Folks Call It a Sling Blade is the short film on which Billy Bob Thornton based Sling Blade (and the reason Thornton was awarded the best adapted--not best original--screenplay). The film is essentially the opening scenes of Sling Blade, in which Thornton's character, Karl Childers, is shown about to leave the mental hospital, intoning his account of his youthful crime to a naive reporter writing about his release. While the screenplay here is virtually the same as the corresponding part of the longer film, this film leaves a lingering chilling feeling. Unlike Sling Blade, which allows the audience to see Karl's innate goodness, this version ends at the end of the interview, when the reporter (here played by Molly Ringwald) is left stunned at the horrors she's just heard, and she (and the audience) have no real idea if Karl is someone who should be turned loose or not. Fans of Sling Blade owe it to themselves to see this version, too--focusing on its far darker sensibility adds to the appreciation of the work it would later become. (Historic footnote: unlike Sling Blade, Some Folks Call It a Sling Blade was directed by George Hickenlooper, codirector of the acclaimed documentary Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse, who was none too happy when the media attention over Sling Blade virtually ignored his contributions to the original film.) --Anne Hurley
Customer Reviews:
some folks call it a sling bad.......2007-07-09
i bought this tape thinking that it was more of a story but it was a repete of the first few mins of the original movie i was very disappointed don't spend your money on this
Some Folks Call it a Sling Blade.......2007-03-26
I was very dissappointed in this movie. But it was my fault. I ordered the wrong one. I meant to order Sling Blade, which I later did.
really good.......2007-02-18
I had no idea Billy Bob Thorton could play such a well-meaning and likeable character. I've only known him in recent roles (such as Bad Santa) so it came to a complete shock to me that a movie THIS emotionally powerful from Billy Bob Thorton playing a main character could be so incredibly good.
I give this movie the highest grade you can possibly give. I really loved Billy Bob's performance. This is a really good film because it helps you understand and appreciate people who are different. There's an important message behind it, and the fact that you are guaranteed to remain interested in it from beginning to end makes Sling Blade all the better. Really good performance and story. A must see.
Insightful....a bit.......2007-02-14
This DVD was worth the price I paid (used), for it. Buy it used :)
Its a heartbreaker........2006-11-08
This extremely expurgated version sells for about a dollar a minute! So if you think a 15 minute (estimate) feature is worth the price, by all means, buy this. If not, save yourself the heartbreak I suffered.
Amazon.com
The Inspector Lynley Mysteries: Set 3 begins where set 2 left off, with Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers (Sharon Small) enduring a demotion following her controversial (though logical) handling of the climactic crisis at the end of "Deception on His Mind." But Havers is soon brought back into action as a sleuth in the first story here, "In Pursuit of the Proper Sinner," when her mentor, Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley (Nathaniel Parker), requests her participation in solving a double murder. One of the victims is the daughter of a retired Superintendent in Vice, who believes the killer is probably someone he once put away in jail. But the aristocratic Lynley and working-class Havers, an unusual team created in a series of novels by Elizabeth George, find the truth is more complicated than that as their investigation leads into a seamy world.
Long past their class differences and early conflicts--most of which were over differing perceptions and levels of experience with police business--Havers and Lynley increasingly cling to their relationship as events in their individual lives get more complex. This is especially true of Lynley, whose marriage suffers as he struggles to find a balance between work and home. Indeed, work only gets more complicated in "A Traitor to Memory," which concerns the murder of a woman who (a) disappeared from her family years before following the death of her daughter and (b) appears to have been on her way to see a man who claims never to have known her. "A Cry for Justice" sees Havers regaining esteem and ground in the homicide division after she determines that a woman thought to have committed suicide might have, in fact, been murdered. Finally, loyalties are tested in "If Wishes Were Horses," when a forensic psychologist--the former mentor of Lynley's wife--is killed by a car bomb. Havers and Lynley's investigation finds evidence that the latter's pregnant spouse might have been involved with the dead man at one time. As the chips fall, tragedy strikes Lynley's already unhappy marriage, followed by another terrible crisis that befalls the other important woman in his life, Havers. --Tom Keogh
Description
Lynley and Havers are about to face their ultimate tests. Nathaniel Parker (Far from the Madding Crowd) and Sharon Small (About A Boy) return as the New Scotland Yard team of Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley and Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers in four riveting murder mysteries that share some striking--and disturbing--parallels to their own lives. Having weathered the early storms of their partnership, the high-brow Inspector and the emphatically working-class Sergeant face new challenges--including questions about Havers' future and Lynley's loyalty. While solving murders remains the partners' focus, Lynley finds it hard to find the proper balance between work and marriage to his wife, Helen, while Havers struggles to bounce back from her demotion and to find her proper path in life. While Lynley and Havers unravel the heinous and suspenseful mysteries based on Elizabeth George's best-selling whodunits, they are also grappling with a mounting series of challenges and twists in their persona
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Widescreen Edition) (Harry Potter 2)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Two-Disc Special Edition) (Harry Potter 1)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Widescreen Edition) (Harry Potter 4)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7)
Star Wars - Episode III, Revenge of the Sith (Widescreen Edition)
![Blood Diamond [HD DVD]](http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B000MZHW1S.01.THUMBZZZ.jpg)
![The Departed (Combo HD DVD and Standard DVD) [HD DVD]](http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B000M5AJQ8.01.THUMBZZZ.jpg)
